Ancient Chinese women used crude contraceptives – from eating tadpoles to ingesting mercury

In ancient China, patriarchal and feudal norms limited women’s control over reproduction, forcing many to endure risky contraceptive methods.According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, one of the earliest known contraceptives in China was a herb called Gurong.Its taste was extremely bitter, its leaves resembled orchids and its roots were similar to those of the balloon flower.During the pre-Qin period (2100–221), people believed that consuming Gurong, a plant that only bloomed but did not bear fruit, could prevent pregnancy, though modern science has not confirmed this.Tubular-shaped dried fish maw, above, were used as an early form of condom. Photo: RedNoteAnother ancient medical text, Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand in Gold for Emergencies, also mentions drinking boiled water made from purple jasmine roots, said to induce abortion.